Kiyoko Koyama (神山清子), Japanese, (1936-2023)

A Shigaraki Natural-Ash Glazed Uzukumaru Jar (信楽自然釉うずくまる)

Showa Era (1926-1989), Heisei Era (1989-2019) or Reiwa Era (2019 – present)

About the work

A Shigaraki uzukumaru jar by Kiyoko Koyama, one of Japan’s most respected contemporary ceramicists and a pioneer in reviving traditional anagama (wood-fired) techniques. The uzukumaru (蹲) jar takes its name from the crouching posture of a person with knees drawn up, reflected in the vessel’s squat, rounded form. Originally used as utilitarian storage jars for grain or oil, these jars were later reinterpreted by tea practitioners as flower containers (hanaire).

This example is vertically proportioned with a swelling body and narrow mouth, its surface richly variegated by natural ash deposits from prolonged wood firing. Cascading glazes in olive green, amber, and creamy feldspathic tones contrast with the reddish-brown Shigaraki clay, producing a richly textured surface that is both rugged and luminous.

The work is accompanied by its original signed tomobako (wooden storage box), cloth, and exhibition literature.

Dimensions

16.4cm(h) x 13.5cm(w)

Footnote

Kiyoko Koyama (1936-2023) was born in Sasebo, Nagasaki, and later moved to Shigaraki after World War II. Initially working in ceramic decoration, she shifted to pottery at 30, pursuing the dream of recreating Shigaraki natural ash glazes using an anagama kiln. Over years of dedication and struggle, including building her own kiln, she perfected her craft, earning nationwide acclaim. Koyama held numerous solo exhibitions and became a celebrated figure in Japanese pottery.